Solar Water Heaters

May 29, 2006
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I wouldn't use copper in the DR because it's very prone to corrosion in the topics and nowadays copper has gotten stupid expensive. I'd go with high temp PEX pipe if I could find it.

Here is one DIY system using PEX. Looks pretty straight forward. You could lay PEX under some standard corrugated roofing over some insulated boards. One of the big pluses of PEX is there is no sweating pipes for the elbows, which you need A LOT of for copper.

Construction of PEX Solar Collector

When I built a solar water heater before(like 30 years ago in a high school project), we used check valves to get the water to cycle through the storage tank. A small (solar powered) aquarium pump would prob to the job as well.
 

yapask1

New member
Jul 23, 2012
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Pex plus transfer plates is a good idea. This is commercially available.....

Amazon.com: 1/2 " x 1000 ft PEX O2 Barrier Radiant Heat Tubing: Home Improvement

The product can be shipped in via Amazon/CPS.

yapask1


I wouldn't use copper in the DR because it's very prone to corrosion in the topics and nowadays copper has gotten stupid expensive. I'd go with high temp PEX pipe if I could find it.

Here is one DIY system using PEX. Looks pretty straight forward. You could lay PEX under some standard corrugated roofing over some insulated boards. One of the big pluses of PEX is there is no sweating pipes for the elbows, which you need A LOT of for copper.

Construction of PEX Solar Collector

When I built a solar water heater before(like 30 years ago in a high school project), we used check valves to get the water to cycle through the storage tank. A small (solar powered) aquarium pump would prob to the job as well.
 

yapask1

New member
Jul 23, 2012
477
0
0
[video=youtube;JfJamxcnrO4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfJamxcnrO4[/video]

yapask1